Dolek

We work in partnership with Facing Africa who co-ordinate surgical teams that perform operations on Noma victims. Take Dolek, for example who was just two when the Noma infection began to eat away at his face.

Had his family been able to afford the journey, they would have taken him to hospital then. But that simply wasn’t an option, so the infection spread and spread. Within a few years, his nose, lips, teeth and gums were unrecognisable.

When a Facing Africa outreach worker found Dolek, he was living a lonely, isolated existence. He had tried to gain an education by attending school, but the constant bullying and harassment was too much to take. He was unable to speak because of the damage to his face, and his life seemed all but over.

After 24 years of living in fear and isolation, Dolek is a completely different person, thanks to two surgical procedures that have completely changed his life. For the first time he can remember, Dolek has the confidence to move freely in his community. He is eating and drinking properly and his speech is improving every day.

What’s more, this newfound confidence has encouraged him to go out into the community and search for other Noma victims. But that is just the start.